'[Thor Hanson] is a charmingly enthusiastic bee fanatic and his book is a pleasure to read.' -- Daily Mail
'Popular science at its most accessible: fun, fascinating and full of engaging pen portraits of the scientists and bee enthusiasts he meets in the course of his research' -- Melissa Harrison
'Since finishing the book I can't walk past flowers without looking for bees. Buzz is illuminating, inspiring and irresistible: in short, the bee's knees' -- Francis Wheen, Mail on Sunday
'Popular science at its intelligent best' -- The Economist
'Entertaining, well-informed ... The real joy of the book is Hanson's celebration of the range of lifestyles and extraordinary capabilities that bees possess, other than honey production.' -- Mark Cocker, New Statesman
'Buzz is a must-read for anyone with an inkling of an interest in the natural history of bees. Thor Hanson tells the story of bees, right from the beginning, from their evolution to how ancient civilizations recognised their importance to become honey hunters and beekeepers. The book goes well beyond the story of honeybees though, accounting for the lives of a multitude of species from bumblebees to leaf-cutters, and the hugely important role they play in pollinating our crops and wildflowers. Eloquent and captivating throughout, Hanson writes in a way which is accessible for all; his appendices, notes and glossary provide more detailed information and are as highly recommended as the main text.' -- Darryl Cox
"Thor Hanson is a gifted story teller and naturalist. In Buzz, he takes us along on a wondrous, action-packed journey to discover the secret lives of bees, flowers, and the unconventional men and women who study them. This book really is the buzz about bees, and it's destined to become a natural history classic." -- Stephen Buchmann, author of The Reason for Flowers
"Hanson is an insightful observer of evolution, at his most elegant when digging deep into the science...[His] senses are, indeed, sharp when observing the natural world." -- Wall Street Journal
"For this natural history of the bee, biologist Thor Hanson wings far beyond the hive to explore bee species from 'bumbles' to wool carders... Apiology, Hanson reminds us, is not just about the scientific buzz: bee behaviour has shed light on human issues from addiction to collective decision-making." -- Nature
'Buzz is an engaging mix of science, history, anecdote and geeky good humour. Hanson, an American biologist, wears his learning lightly, getting the science across without being dull or pedantic.' -- Town and Country magazine
`This delightful and informative book is crammed with a wealth of fascinating information about bees ... Everyone, from bee fans and nonspecialists, to hobbyist beekeepers and professional entomologists, will learn something about the bees from this satisfying book.' * Forbes *
'Packed with knowledge, imparted in the most interesting way by the biologist author, it is full of surprises. Even the chapter notes are fascinating.' -- Choice magazine
"Buzz shines the most brightly...when Hanson's own adoration of bees comes through: he wanders around the landscape observing them and musing about their natural history in ways that light up the page...A rewarding choice for readers keen on science and nature." -- NPR
"Charming...Hanson is an upbeat and often humorous guide...If you have time to read one book on what is happening with modern bees, you couldn't do better than Buzz." -- Science
"Timely...The core message of this charming book [is to] be fascinated, and hopefully that will lead us to take action to protect these marvelous and critically important insects." -- Los Angeles Review of Books
"Engaging." -- Scientific American
"Thor Hanson is a magician at making entomology and taxonomy exciting, highlighting the fascinating world of bees. Buzz hums with science and history, exposing how bees have shaped our world. A delightful, buzzworthy must-read!" -- Daniel Chamovitz, author of What a Plant Knows
"Never highbrow or authoritative, Thor Hanson writes with the infectious enthusiasm of one encountering wonders for the first time; less a teacher than a fellow traveller on a shared voyage of discovery. Surely among the finest nature writers of our time-whatever subject Hanson turns his hand to, the result is spellbinding." -- Katrina Van Grouw, author of The Unfeathered Bird and Unnatural Selection
"This book is a joy. In it, Thor Hanson reminds us that the story of bees is the story of the origin of societies, of sweetness and collapse, of flowers and their sex, and if the humans who study all of these things. It is a story of evolution and biodiversity, a story that bears on much of the food we eat but also so very much else. Buy it. Read it. Read it again. And when you do, you will look out at the buzzing world anew." -- Rob Dunn, author of Never Home Alone and The Wild Life of Our Bodies
"As he did for feathers and seeds, Thor Hanson has written a wonderfully engaging work of natural history that will delight readers with its elegant prose, surprising stories, and deep humanity. Bees, so important to life on earth, are fortunate to have someone as passionate and knowledgeable as Hanson tell the tale of their evolutionary past, turbulent present, and precarious future. After reading Buzz, you will look at bees with a profound mixture of awe and gratitude." -- Eric Jay Dolin, author of Black Flags, Blue Waters, and Leviathan
`An engaging, informative page-turner' -- Brian Clegg, popularscience.co.uk
